“It’s real, we’re finally swimming in the Seine”: Parisians take their first dives

The green flag is raised. At exactly 8 a.m., at the Bras Marie site, opposite the Île Saint-Louis, Lucile, 43, launches into the Seine. She is one of the first to inaugurate, on Saturday, July 5, swimming at one of the three sites in the capital – along with those at Bercy (12th) and Grenelle (15th) – open until August 31.

Waking up at dawn, the sports coach (who, like the majority of those interviewed, did not wish to give her last name) did not want to miss this meeting. Like her, dozens of curious onlookers crowded in very early in the morning. "It's a joy. The water is very good, and the visibility is excellent ," she confided after her swim. " I did almost 500 meters breaststroke ."

The Bras Marie site can accommodate up to 150 people. The capacity, which is quickly reached, is strictly controlled by city officials. José, 26, a clinical psychologist, patiently waits his turn. "I've been waiting for this moment for months, but just yesterday I had doubts ," he confides. "My colleagues teased me, saying I was going to get sick. And then this morning, seeing all these people gathered, it clicked: it's real, we're finally swimming in the Seine. "